Michael Levine's Eating Disorders Prevention/Sociocultural Factors Newsletter
NO. 101: (i) Big(ger) Picture: Trigger Warnings; (ii) Sociocultural Factors & Muscle Dysmorphia; (iii) Social Media, Part 2 (n = 3); (iv) Body Image (n = 3); and (v) Disordered Eating, Part 1 (n = 3)
Colleagues (N now = 1260 in 48 countries),
Please (a) continue to send me any and all announcements (e.g., conferences, awards, webinars, prevention resources, your recent publications); and (b) pass along the following to anyone who would like to join this free email list.
REQUEST FOR RESEARCH PARTICIPATION BY AND/OR ASSISTANCE RECRUITING
Experts in Body Image or Eating Disorders, and the Social Media Space for a Delphi study
from [our own] Ms. Pranita Shrestha | PhD candidate | Action Lab, Human-Centred Computing | Faculty of Information Technology | Monash University (Australia)
for Her Doctoral Dissertation Study (that ML, paraphrasing, has entitled)
Challenges in Identifying and Flagging Harmful Social Media Content Related to Body Image and Eating Disorders
Received 15 January 2025 via an email from (our own) Ms. Pranita Shrestha (Australia), who is a doctoral student at Monash University.
ML NOTE 1: Ms. Shrestha and I would appreciate it if you would (a) participate in this research, if eligible; and/or (b) pass this along to any and all people who might be eligible and/or clinicians, physicians, nurse practitioners, dietitians, etc., who are eligible.
[Ms. Shrestha writes]
This is Pranita, a PhD candidate at Monash University. We are currently recruiting experts in body image or eating disorders, and the social media space. Our project will try to understand how we can identify and flag harmful social media content related to body image and eating disorders, and the challenges associated with it. To build an evidence-based understanding of harmful content patterns, we first conducted a workshop with Butterfly Foundation, interviews with body image and eating disorders researchers and professionals, and a focus group with lived experiences of eating disorders. From this study, we derived rules that contained the pattern understanding of harmful social media content.
To further strengthen this evidence-based understanding, we are conducting a Delphi study—a consensus-driven method for gathering insights from subject matter experts and individuals with lived experience. These findings will also inform technology development to automate harmful content detection fostering safer online environments.
We invite you to participate in our Delphi study as a Delphi panel of experts by profession. If you are over the age of 18 and have experience working in body image or eating disorders within the context of social media as a researcher, clinician or professional, then please help us to validate these rules. These rules will eventually help us in intervention design and policy and platform recommendations.
You will need to participate in at least two rounds of online surveys. The surveys will be released in February and March, and it will take 45 minutes - 1 hour to complete each survey. If you have any questions, please email at pranita.shrestha@monash.edu. Please read this Explanatory Statement in full before deciding whether to participate or not.
Explanatory Statement Link: click here
Please fill out the Expression of Interest: click here
Thank you.
Pranita Shrestha | PhD candidate | Action Lab, Human-Centred Computing | Faculty of Information Technology | Monash University
ADVOCACY-EDUCATION-IN-ACTION
BE REAL USA and THE ALLIANCE present
Free COLLEGE BODYKIND Facilitator Training: Body Image Seminar for College Students
PART 1: Sunday, February 2, 2025, 12:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time
PART 2: Sunday, February 9, 2025, 12:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time
Received 15 January 2025 via an email from our own Bolder Model and Force to Be Reckoned With Ms. Denise Hamburger, JD, Founder and Executive Director of BE REAL USA.
ML NOTE 2: The invitation below is a compilation of information from different panels in the email announcement
ML NOTE 3: Our own distinguished educator, leader, advocate, Bolder Model, and Force to Be Reckoned With Ms. Johanna Kandel (USA) is Founder and CEO of the National Alliance for Eating Disorders. Our own Dr. Joan Hendelman, RN, FAED, is the Clinical Director of the Alliance, while our own Bolder Model Ms. Millie Plotkin, MLS, FAED, is ED Information Gateway Specialist.
Do you know a college student that might like to facilitate a new, evidence-based body image seminar? We are doing a free training for new college facilitators
PART 1: Sunday, February 2, 2025, 12:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time | 9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. Pacific | 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Central | 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. UTC
PART 2: Sunday, February 9, 2025, 12:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time
Presenter/Educator/Trainer of trainers: Denise Hamburger is the founder and executive director of BE REAL, a nonprofit organization that provides body confidence resources to educators and parents everywhere. She created the Body Confident Schools professional development workshop for educators. She has delivered workshops on body confidence to over 8000 educators around the globe. She is the co-author of the new BodyKind high school curriculum, along with its new adaptation the College BodyKind seminar. She is also the co-author of the new nutrition curriculum Let’s Eat. Denise is a certified Anti-Bias, Anti-Racism (ABAR) curriculum writer. She was an environmental attorney in her first career.
Brief Description: [The training has three segments]
Segment 1. Body image issues today and student mental health (including statistics and research)
Segment 2. The solution: Shifting AWAY from diet culture ( 3 shifts away from our current culture’s beliefs about food, bodies, and eating to more helpful beliefs for body image wellbeing)
Segment 3. BE REAL’s College BodyKind Seminar Training
Zoom Location: We will send you a Zoom link on February 1, 2025
So far we've trained college students to deliver the College BodyKind seminar to fellow students at:
University of Mississippi
Washington University
Northwestern University
Rutgers University
University of Montana
Wake Forest University
University of Tennessee
Please forward this newsletter to interested college students who can register at this link.
Our high school BodyKind lessons have been tested with thousands of high school students, and have produced increases in body appreciation, self-compassion, and body satisfaction. We have adapted this resource to be peer-facilitated for a college-aged students. We ask that facilitators and participants give us feedback on the adaptation.
All our resources are created by teams of the best academics, experts, and teachers. BE REAL's educational resources are sponsored by The Alliance, the leading national nonprofit organization providing referrals, education, and support for individuals experiencing eating disorders.
We are looking forward to training a big group in February and helping to create more body confident spaces on college campuses!
Questions and concerns should be directed to Denise Hamburger at denise@berealusa.org (847-224-5391) and/or The Alliance’s Paija Nobles at pnobles@allianceforeatingdisorders.com.
Sincerely,
Denise Hamburger | BE REAL Executive Director | Email: denise@berealusa.org
Our nonprofit mission is to spread the best body image and eating disorder prevention resources everywhere, so young people can grow up with a healthy relationship to food and their body.
Research Publication Categories in This Newsletter
(i) Big(ger) Picture: Trigger Warnings; (ii) Sociocultural Factors and Muscle Dysmorphia; (iii) Social Media, Part 2 (n = 3); (iv) Body Image (n = 3); and (v) Disordered Eating, Part 1 (n = 3)
CONGRATULATIONS to our own
Drs. Kyle Ganson (Canada), Rachel Rodgers (USA/France), Stuart Murray (USA), and Jason Nagata (USA) and colleagues for publication of the Muscle Dysmorphia research article in #2.
Drs. Veya Seekis (Australia), Kate Mulgrew (Australia), and Ivanka Prichard (Australia) and colleagues for publication of the Social Media research article in #5.
Drs. Stephanie Damiano (Australia), Siân McLean (Australia), Eleanor Wertheim (Australia), and Susan Paxton (Australia) and colleague for publication of the Body Image research article in #6.
Big(ger) Picture: Trigger Warnings
1. Bell, K. M., Howardson, R., Holmberg, D., & Cornelius, T. L. (2024). “Warning – This content may trigger temporary discomfort, which is expected and manageable”: The effect of modified trigger warning language on reactions to emotionally-provocative content. Behavior Therapy. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.beth.2024.11.001
Full text available for download at: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0005789424001606
ABSTRACT. A growing body of research suggests that trigger warnings do not actually reduce distress in those viewing emotionally-provocative stimuli and may at times even worsen it. However, little is known regarding the potential benefits of modifying trigger warning language so that it employs therapeutically-consistent messaging to encourage adaptive coping. The current study explored whether a modified trigger warning might be more effective than a traditional trigger warning in reducing participants’ negative affect (NA) when exposed to distressing content.
University students (N = 606) participated in an online study and were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: traditional trigger warning, modified trigger warning, or a no-warning control group. NA was measured before and after display of two emotionally-provocative stimuli (one article and one video). Anxiety sensitivity (AS) and post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) were also measured to assess whether these pre-existing individual vulnerabilities might moderate participants’ responses to the different messages.
Although the carefully pilot-tested stimuli were successful in increasing NA, there was no significant effect of trigger warning condition, despite ample statistical power. AS and PTSS were associated with higher overall levels of NA but did not interact with study condition. These results add to the growing body of literature suggesting trigger warnings (whether traditional or modified) do not succeed in their goal of reducing the distress elicited by emotionally-provocative content, including amongst vulnerable individuals. Alternative approaches to traditional trigger warnings are considered that may help individuals cope adaptively with potentially distressing material.
Sociocultural Factors and Muscle Dysmorpia
2. Ganson, K. T., Testa, A., Rodgers, R. F., Murray, S. M., & Nagata, J. M. (2025). Exploring body ideal internalization, sociocultural pressures, and probable muscle dysmorphia in Canadian and American boys and men. Eating Behaviors. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eatbeh.2025.101944
Full text available for download at: https://tinyurl.com/m7m8kmeh
ABSTRACT. This study aimed to determine whether the internalization of body ideals and sociocultural pressures to adhere to body ideals are associated with a greater likelihood of having probable muscle dysmorphia. Cross-sectional data from 1553 boys and men ages 15–35 from Canada and the United States were used. Multiple logistic regression analyses determined the association between the internalization of three body ideals, sociocultural pressures to adhere to body ideals from four sources, and having probable muscle dysmorphia.
The odds of having probable muscle dysmorphia were significantly greater for those who internalized the muscular ideal and general attractiveness ideal. Conversely, endorsing the thin/low body fat ideal was significantly associated with lower odds of having probable muscle dysmorphia. Pressure from peers, but no other sources, showed a significant association with greater odds of having probable muscle dysmorphia.
Findings expand prior research by investigating correlates of muscle dysmorphia versus muscle dysmorphia symptomatology. The strong association with internalization of the general attractiveness ideal provides new insights into how overall appearance may be highly relevant for boys and men with muscle dysmorphia, warranting future investigation.
Social Media, Part 2 of 4: Content and Engagement
ML NOTE 4: With regard to the edited volume that is source of the chapter described below in #2, in case you are wondering whether this book contains a chapter on the effects of social media use on body image and disordered eating, it does indeed, as briefly described in the 12 December 2024 ( NO. 98) Newsletter, #5. Dr. Sophia Choukas-Bradley (USA) is a member of this Newsletter Group.
Choukas-Bradley, S., Maheux, A. J., Aubrey, J. S., Charmaraman, L., Maas, M. K., Nesi, J., Ward, L. M., & Yang, C.-c. (2025). Social media use, body image concerns, and disordered eating among adolescents. In D. A. Christakis & L. Hale (Eds.), Handbook of children and screens: Digital media, development, and well-being from birth through adolescence (pp. 149-156). Springer. [Full text available for download at: https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-031-69362-5_21
3. Montag, C., Demetrovics, Z., Elhai, J. D., Grant, D., Koning, I., Rumpf, H.-J., Spada, M. M., Throuvala, M., & van den Eijnden, R. (2025). Social media Use in childhood and adolescence: Minimizing its adverse effects through corporate social responsibility and European Union regulations. In D. A. Christakis & L. Hale (Eds.), Handbook of children and screens (pp. 477-484. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-69362-5_65
Full text available for download at: https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-031-69362-5_65
ABSTRACT. The present chapter revisits the prevailing data business model of the social media industry and explains how it stands in conflict with psycho-developmental tasks in children and adolescents. In this realm, issues surrounding the current “APIcalypse” (based on the term application program interfaces (APIs); closed APIs hindering the study of social media use on the platforms) are discussed, along with the need to foster interdisciplinary research that brings together psychological, psychiatric, neuroscientific, and computer sciences to truly understand social media impacts on well-being and mental health. Given the billion users of social media around the globe, many of whom are minors, much is at stake, and it is urgent to address the numerous knowledge gaps surrounding the effects of social media use on mental health.
4. Re, A., & Bruno, F. (2024). Exploring the influence of social media and beauty filters on body image in adolescents and young women. Sistemi Intelligenti (Intelligent Systems), 3, 649-667. https://doi.org.10.1422/115337
Email address for correspondence: annre@unime.it
ABSTRACT. In recent years, the frequent use of beauty filters has attracted interest for its potential impact on body self-awareness, with various psychological and social implications, especially in adolescents and young women. The widespread use of beauty filters on digital platforms allows people to manipulate their facial and physical features, raising concerns about their influence on the perception of one’s body.
Indeed, by distorting and altering one’s physical appearance to conform to online beauty standards, these filters could influence individuals’ self-concept, potentially contributing to the emergence of mental disorders. Despite its importance, contemporary literature has yet to comprehensively explore this relationship, which this article aims to briefly discuss with some preliminary evidence.
5. Seekis, V., Mulgrew, K. E., Prichard, I., Manning, H., Wood, I., & Stevenson, C. (2025). To detox or not to detox? The impact of different approaches to social media detox strategies on body image and wellbeing. Body Image, 52. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2024.101849
Full text available for download at: https://tinyurl.com/2bmsyyke
ABSTRACT. This study compared the efficacy of three 7-day detox strategies on young women's body image and wellbeing. The three strategies were: (a) Insta/TikTok break, (b) daily time-cap (30 minutes max), and (c) Insta/TikTok cleanse (removing appearance-focused content from feeds). A sample of 175 women aged 17–35 (M = 22.71) was randomized into one of the three detox conditions or social media use as usual. Participants completed assessments of self-objectification, appearance satisfaction, body appreciation, media pressure, and wellbeing at baseline, day 3 (check-in) and day 7 (posttest).
Significant interactions showed that appearance satisfaction improved for all three detox groups from baseline to posttest, but no changes occurred for the control group. Appearance satisfaction also increased from day 3 to posttest in the Insta/TikTok cleanse group. Wellbeing improved from baseline to posttest for the daily time-cap group. Increases in wellbeing also occurred from day 3 to day 7 for the Insta/TikTok break and daily time-cap groups. No further interactions were found. Findings shed light on the varying effects of three 7-day social media detox strategies for promoting appearance satisfaction and overall wellbeing. Cleansing Instagram and TikTok feeds of appearance-focused content emerged as a particularly promising approach for improving appearance satisfaction.
Body Image
6. Smith, D. L., Damiano, S. R., McLean, S. A., Wertheim, E. H., & Paxton, S. J. (2024). Biopsychosocial correlates of body satisfaction in 7- to 8-year-old children: A cross-sectional and prospective investigation. Journal of Eating Disorders, 12, 215. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40337-024-01178-7
Full text available for download at: https://tinyurl.com/33xeazda
ABSTRACT. Background: Biopsychosocial factors have been associated with body satisfaction/dissatisfaction and related body image concerns in adolescence; however, few studies have investigated these relationships in middle childhood, an important developmental phase for body satisfaction.
This study investigated relationships between a range of biological (body mass index), psychological (child anxiety/depression, self-esteem, and self-oriented and socially prescribed perfectionism) and sociocultural (mother’s body dissatisfaction and comments about child’s appearance, father’s body dissatisfaction and comments about child’s appearance, peer teasing and child’s media exposure) factors and body satisfaction cross-sectionally and longitudinally in a sample of 7- and 8-year-old children.
Methods: In this study, participants from the longitudinal Children’s Body Image Development Study (in which children had been followed-up annually from 3 years old) were assessed by interview at 7 years old (Time 1; n = 293: girls = 167, boys = 126) and 8 years old (Time 2; n = 222; girls = 126, boys = 96) and their parents completed a questionnaire at each time point.
Results: Multiple regression analyses revealed that child self-esteem, socially prescribed perfectionism, and mother body dissatisfaction in the total sample at 7-years, as well as child self-esteem and mother body dissatisfaction in the total sample at 8-years were significant unique cross-sectional correlates of child body satisfaction. While self-esteem outcomes were replicated at both time points for boys and girls, some differences in patterns were found for other variables in the subsamples of boys versus girls across time points.
Prospectively in partial correlations (controlling for Time 1 child body satisfaction), mother’s body dissatisfaction predicted later child body satisfaction in boys and child self-esteem predicted later body satisfaction in girls. However, no longitudinal biopsychosocial predictors were identified as contributing unique variance in child body satisfaction from 7- to 8-years old after accounting for Time 1 (7-yearold) child body satisfaction.
Conclusions: These findings point to important psychosocial factors that are consistently related to body satisfaction in children and could be targets for intervention, but also suggest that a number of biopsychosocial variables develop concurrently with body satisfaction.
Plain English Summary: A growing body of evidence suggests that children develop body image attitudes as young as 3 years old and that dissatisfaction with one’s own body increases in prevalence at around 6 years old. Body dissatisfaction is consistently associated with physical and psychological consequences, including clinical eating disorders. Despite this, there are few studies identifying factors associated with body dissatisfaction involving children. This knowledge is crucial for accurate and effective prevention and intervention strategies to be developed for this population prior to the onset of adverse physical and psychological outcomes.
The current study performed a cross-sectional and prospective investigation of relationships between biological, psychological, and sociocultural factors and body satisfaction in 7- and 8-year-old boys and girls to identify possible risk factors. Overall, child self-esteem and socially prescribed perfectionism as well as body dissatisfaction in mothers were the key factors related to children’s body satisfaction suggesting these as possible targets for prevention and intervention.
7. Li, T., Chen, Y., & Shen, H. (2024). Class group attachment and negative body image in Chinese junior high school students: The chain-mediating role of self-compassion and peer fear inferiority. Psychology Research and Behavior Management, 17, 4145-4156. https://doi.org/10.2147/PRBM.S493355
Full text available for download at: https://tinyurl.com/29b86ddh
ABSTRACT. Purpose: This study aims to investigate the impact of class group attachment on negative body image among junior high school students and explore the underlying mechanisms. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 684 Chinese junior high school students using four validated instruments: the Negative Physical Self Scale, the Class Group Attachment Scale (Middle School Version), the Peer Fear of Inferiority Scale, and the Self-Compassion Scale. A chain mediation model was employed to analyze the relationships among class group attachment, negative body image, self-compassion, and peer fear of inferiority.
Results: Class group attachment anxiety and avoidance, self-compassion, peer fear of inferiority, and negative body image were significantly correlated. Class group attachment anxiety not only directly positively predicted negative body image but also had an indirect effect on negative body image through self-compassion and peer fear of inferiority. In contrast, class group attachment avoidance mainly affected negative body image indirectly through self-compassion and peer fear of inferiority.
Conclusion: Class group attachment significantly impacts negative body image, with self-compassion and peer fear of inferiority serving as important mediating factors. These findings enhance the understanding of the factors influencing negative body image among adolescents and their mechanisms, providing valuable theoretical support for body image education among middle school students.
8. Galway, S. C., & Gammage, K. L. (2024). An examination of the effect of exposure to calories on menus on body-related self-conscious emotions: Continuing the investigation beyond body dissatisfaction. Appetite. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2024.107821
Full text available for download at: https://tinyurl.com/43d5nemy
ABSTRACT. Mandatory calorie labelling on restaurant menus has been implemented in several Western countries. The purpose of the present study was to examine direct and indirect effects of the exposure to calorie information on menus on body-related shame, guilt, and hubristic pride. Self-compassion was examined as a moderator, and self-objectification was examined as a mediator. Men and women (N = 359, mean age = 42 years) were recruited on Prolific for a study examining “self-perceptions and menu choices”. Participants were randomly assigned to view a menu with or without calorie information and select a hypothetical meal.
Exposure to calories on menus statistically significantly predicted higher body-related shame, but not body-related guilt or body-related hubristic pride. Self-objectification did not mediate the relationship between exposure to calories on menus and body-related shame, guilt, or hubristic pride. Self-compassion moderated the relationship between exposure to calories on menus and body-related shame. Overall, individuals who scored low on self-compassion experienced higher body-related shame after exposure to a restaurant menu with calories. These findings outline potential harmful effects of mandatory calorie labelling that should be taken into account in the mandating and evaluation of such policies.
Disordered Eating, Part 1 of 4
9. D’Anna, G., Lucherini Angeletti, L., Allegrini, L., Altomare, A. I., Betti, D., De Martino, A., Minotti, G., Muscarella, C., Benvenuti, F., Ricca, V., & Rotella, F. (2024). Longitudinal evolution of physical activity type and eating and weight concerns among adolescents. Eating and Weight Disorders, 29, 75. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40519-024-01696-y
Full text available for download at: https://tinyurl.com/bddk6m2k
ABSTRACT. Purpose: To provide a prospective 2 year follow-up of a previously enrolled adolescent high school sample, regarding body image and eating concerns, and patterns of sports type and physical activity. Methods: Sports type, weekly time devoted to it, and psychopathological self-reports (Eating Disorders Examination Questionnaire 6.0, Body Uneasiness Test, and Muscle Dysmorphia Disorder Inventory) were evaluated longitudinally in a general population sample enrolled in a previous study, testing prospective variations in an observational setting.
Results: At follow-up, girls expressed increased dietary restraint and body uneasiness as compared to baseline, whereas boys expressed increased body uneasiness—and specifically in the avoidance, depersonalisation and compulsive self-monitoring dimensions. Among both sexes, a significant shift towards individual activities or lack of activity was observed after 2 years, with a reduction in team sports involvement. Among girls, time devoted to exercise significantly decreased at follow-up.
Conclusion: The present findings indirectly confirm an increased vulnerability to dietary, bodily and appearance-based concerns among adolescents. The role of different patterns of physical activity and exercise time may interact bidirectionally with these problematic areas, considering that previous studies point out increased concerns among inactive subjects, and among those who choose individual activities. Level of evidence: Level IV-longitudinal observational study.
10. Hatoum, A. H., Burton, A. L., & Abbott, M. J. (2024). A core beliefs model of disordered eating: processes and pathways to eating disorder symptomatology. Journal of Eating Disorders, 12, 203. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40337-024-01167-w
Full text available for download at: https://tinyurl.com/3tsht6mn
ABSTRACT. Objective: At present there is no clear, cohesive, and comprehensive theoretical understanding of the role of core beliefs in the development of disordered eating. The present study aimed to develop and test a theoretical model outlining important processes and pathways from core beliefs to eating disorder (ED) behaviours. It also aimed to explore potential differences (or similarities) in contributions of four core belief dimensions to the development and maintenance of ED symptomatology.
Method: Data were collected from a sample of 800 non-clinical participants. Path analysis was conducted to test general and multi-dimensional models. Indirect effects were calculated for all possible pathways from ED core beliefs to dietary restraint, objective binge eating, and compensatory behaviours.
Results: The hypothesised model demonstrated poor to acceptable fit to the data. Modifications were made to the general model to improve fit, remove non-significant paths and add theoretically and statistically relevant paths. All indirect effects of possible pathways from core beliefs to ED behaviours were significant. A multi-dimensional version of the model was tested with four core belief dimensions. This model identified differences in pathways from each core belief dimension to ED symptoms
Discussion: This study extends the current understanding of the role of core beliefs in the development and maintenance of disordered eating, by building upon previous theoretical models and empirical literature. We present a general core beliefs model of disordered eating, and preliminary findings regarding differences in the processes and pathways from four key core belief dimensions to ED behaviours.
Plain English Summary: This study extends our current understanding of how core beliefs in eating disorders relate to the development of key disordered eating symptomatology. We present a comprehensive model, which builds upon previous theoretical and empirical understandings of the processes and pathways from core beliefs to dietary restraint, objective binge eating, and compensatory behaviours. We also present preliminary findings regarding potential differences in the processes that explain the relationship of four critical core belief dimensions relevant to eating disorders in contributing to the development of these behaviours.
11. Natoli, A. P., Allen, L. K., Ashton, C., & Marek, R. J. (2025). Measuring eating behavior and motivations in the United Arab Emirates and the United States: Evaluating measurement and predictive invariance of the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire–Short Form and The Eating Motivation Survey. Psychologcal Assessment. 37(1-2), 62-69. https://doi.org/10.1037/pas0001352
Email address for correspondence: apn017@shsu.edu
ABSTRACT. Considerable proportions of college students in White, educated, industrialized, rich, and democratic countries, such as the United States, suffer from eating disorders and other problematic eating behaviors. The prevalence of eating disorders in Western Asia has been historically low but is rapidly increasing. One of the most dramatic increases is occurring in the United Arab Emirates. Advancements in eating disorder research and intervention that would benefit college students in the United Arab Emirates are inhibited by the lack of psychometrically sound measures of eating behaviors and motivations that have been empirically demonstrated to perform well in this population.
The present study took initial steps in filling this need by evaluating the measurement and predictive invariance of the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire-Short Form and The Eating Motivation Survey using college student samples from the United Arab Emirates (n = 366) and United States (n = 317), followed by a series of cross-country comparisons. Results offer important evidence supporting the measurement invariance of both instruments and the predictive invariance of The Eating Motivation Survey when used to predict scores on the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire-Short Form.
Although no significant cross-country differences in eating disorder features and behaviors were found, some cross-country differences in eating motivations were observed. Similar eating motivations emerged in both countries as possible protective and risk factors for eating disorders. The implications of these findings for eating disorder assessment and practice are discussed, along with their implications for theory and research on eating motivations, nutritional health, and people's relationships with food.
Impact Statement: The prevalence of eating disorders is increasing among college students in the United Arab Emirates, but the lack of validated measures of eating behaviors and motivations limit research and intervention. To address this need, two measures of eating behaviors and motivations were examined to determine whether they can be confidently used when assessing college students in the United Arab Emirates for problematic eating behaviors.